Valter D. Longo, PhD

Dr. Longo is the Edna Jones Professor in Gerontology and Professor in Biological Science. He is also the Director of the USC Longevity Institute. He is interested in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of aging in yeast, mice and humans by using genetics and biochemistry techniques. He is also interested in identifying the molecular pathways conserved from simple organisms to humans that can be modulated to protect against multiple stresses and treat or prevent cancer , Alzheimer’s Disease and other diseases of aging. The focus is on the signal transudation pathways that regulate resistance to oxidative damage in yeast and mice.

• Dietary Restriction, GH/IGF-1 & Mechanisms of Cellular Protection and Regeneration
  NIH · P01AG055369 · Feb 15, 2018 – Jan 31, 2024 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Interventions to Slow Aging in Humans: Are We Ready?
  NIH · R13AG046104 · Sep 1, 2013 – Aug 31, 2014 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Dietary Restriction, GH/IGF-I & Mechanisms of Differential Cellular Protection
  NIH · P01AG034906 · Mar 15, 2011 – Jul 31, 2017 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Chronological Age-Dependent Genomic Instability in Yeast
  NIH · R01AG025135 · Jul 1, 2006 – Jun 30, 2011 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Role of Longevity Regulatory Pathways in Age-dependent Macro-molecular Damage in
  NIH · R01AG020642 · Apr 1, 2002 – May 31, 2018 · Role: Principal Investigator
• 4 iron-4sulfur Clusters in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
  NIH · K01AG001028 · Sep 30, 2001 – Aug 31, 2005 · Role: Principal Investigator

• Hamburger Blues (03/11/2014)
• Meat and cheese may be as bad for you as smoking (03/04/2014)
• Rock of Ages (1/8/2014)
• Low-Protein Slows Alzheimer's (02/19/2013)
• Fasting and Radiation Therapy (10/1/2012)
• Fasting Weakens Cancer in Mice (02/09/2012)

• Fasting-mimicking diet counteracts gut microbial dysbiosis in experimental lynch syndrome. Cancer Metab. 2026 Jun 30.. View in PubMed
• Methionine-supplemented longevity diet increases growth hormone, GLP-1, and FGF21; reduces frailty; and promotes healthspan. Cell Metab. 2026 Jun 23.. View in PubMed
• A Fasting-Mimicking Diet Affects the Inflammatory Response Following Periodontal Treatment: A Multi-centre Feasibility Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial. J Clin Periodontol. 2026 Aug; 53(8):1254-1264.. View in PubMed
• Brief Report: A Pilot Study Evaluating the Feasibility, Safety, and Compliance With a Fasting-Mimicking Diet in Patients With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Clin Lung Cancer. 2026 May; 27(4):24-28.. View in PubMed
• A fasting-mimicking diet in patients with mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease: a randomized controlled trial. Nat Med. 2026 Mar; 32(3):1023-1033.. View in PubMed
• Periodic fasting induced reconstitution of metabolic flexibility improves albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes. Mol Metab. 2025 Dec; 102:102257.. View in PubMed
• Author Correction: Fasting mimicking diet cycles versus a Mediterranean diet and cardiometabolic risk in overweight and obese hypertensive subjects: a randomized clinical trial. NPJ Metab Health Dis. 2025 Sep 23; 3(1):38.. View in PubMed
• Caloric restriction protects from acute and chronic kidney injury by inhibiting monocyte recruitment. iScience. 2025 Aug 15; 28(8):113094.. View in PubMed
• Anaphylaxis trend before and during pandemic: COVID-19 did not affect anaphylaxis frequency. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2025 Apr 29.. View in PubMed
• Dietary Amino Acids and Risk of Stroke Subtypes: Results from 3 Large Prospective Cohort Studies. J Nutr. 2025 05; 155(5):1560-1569.. View in PubMed
• The time is now: accounting for time-of-day effects to improve reproducibility and translation of metabolism research. Nat Metab. 2025 Mar; 7(3):454-468.. View in PubMed
• Chemosensory and cardiometabolic improvements after a fasting-mimicking diet: A randomized cross-over clinical trial. Cell Rep Med. 2025 Feb 18; 6(2):101971.. View in PubMed
• Intermittent and periodic fasting in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2025 Feb; 21(2):73-74.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-mimicking diet potentiates anti-tumor effects of CDK4/6 inhibitors against breast cancer by suppressing NRAS- and IGF1-mediated mTORC1 signaling. Drug Resist Updat. 2025 01; 78:101182.. View in PubMed
• A kidney-specific fasting-mimicking diet induces podocyte reprogramming and restores renal function in glomerulopathy. Sci Transl Med. 2024 10 30; 16(771):eadl5514.. View in PubMed
• Longevity biotechnology: bridging AI, biomarkers, geroscience and clinical applications for healthy longevity. Aging (Albany NY). 2024 10 16; 16(20):12955-12976.. View in PubMed
• Nutrition, GH/IGF-1 signaling, and cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2024 Nov 01; 31(11).. View in PubMed
• Cyclic fasting-mimicking diet in cancer treatment: Preclinical and clinical evidence. Cell Metab. 2024 Aug 06; 36(8):1644-1667.. View in PubMed
• International consensus on fasting terminology. Cell Metab. 2024 Aug 06; 36(8):1779-1794.e4.. View in PubMed
• A cross-sectional study evaluating the exercise discussion with oncologist during cancer consultation: the CONNECT study. ESMO Open. 2024 Jul; 9(7):103624.. View in PubMed
• Normal or improved cardiovascular risk factors in IGF-I-deficient adults with growth hormone receptor deficiency. Med. 2024 07 12; 5(7):816-825.e4.. View in PubMed
• Exploring juventology: unlocking the secrets of youthspan and longevity programs. Front Aging. 2024; 5:1379289.. View in PubMed
• Cyclic Fasting-Mimicking Diet Plus Bortezomib and Rituximab Is an Effective Treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Cancer Res. 2024 04 01; 84(7):1133-1148.. View in PubMed
• Integration of a fasting-mimicking diet programme in primary care for type 2 diabetes reduces the need for medication and improves glycaemic control: a 12-month randomised controlled trial. Diabetologia. 2024 Jul; 67(7):1245-1259.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-mimicking diet causes hepatic and blood markers changes indicating reduced biological age and disease risk. Nat Commun. 2024 02 20; 15(1):1309.. View in PubMed
• Ketone bodies in cell physiology and cancer. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2024 03 01; 326(3):C948-C963.. View in PubMed
• Inactivation of Ymr1, Sjl2/3 phosphatases promotes stress resistance and longevity in wild type and Ras2G19V yeast. Biomed J. 2024 04; 47(2):100694.. View in PubMed
• Nutrition and dietary restrictions in cancer prevention. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2024 01; 1879(1):189063.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-Mimicking Diet Inhibits Autophagy and Synergizes with Chemotherapy to Promote T-Cell-Dependent Leukemia-Free Survival. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Dec 16; 15(24).. View in PubMed
• Fasting mimicking diet cycles versus a Mediterranean diet and cardiometabolic risk in overweight and obese hypertensive subjects: a randomized clinical trial. NPJ Metab Health Dis. 2023 Dec 13; 1(1):1.. View in PubMed
• Restrictive diets have a beneficial impact on dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in male mice. J Nutr. 2024 01; 154(1):121-132.. View in PubMed
• Fasting mimicking diet in mice delays cancer growth and reduces immunotherapy-associated cardiovascular and systemic side effects. Nat Commun. 2023 09 08; 14(1):5529.. View in PubMed
• Metabolites and Immune Response in Tumor Microenvironments. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jul 31; 15(15).. View in PubMed
• Biology of Stress Responses in Aging. Aging Biol. 2023; 1.. View in PubMed
• Correction: The impact of a fasting mimicking diet on the metabolic health of a prospective cohort of patients with prostate cancer: a pilot implementation study. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2023 Jun; 26(2):435.. View in PubMed
• Could dietary restrictions affect periodontal disease? A systematic review. Clin Oral Investig. 2023 Aug; 27(8):4107-4116.. View in PubMed
• Six-month periodic fasting does not affect somatosensory nerve function in type 2 diabetes patients. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023; 14:1143799.. View in PubMed
• Fasting and fasting mimicking diets in cancer prevention and therapy. Trends Cancer. 2023 03; 9(3):212-222.. View in PubMed
• Presence, enzymatic activity, and subcellular localization of paraoxonases 1, 2, and 3 in human lung tissues. Life Sci. 2022 Dec 15; 311(Pt A):121147.. View in PubMed
• Breakfast keeps hunger in check. Cell Metab. 2022 10 04; 34(10):1420-1421.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-mimicking diet cycles reduce neuroinflammation to attenuate cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s models. Cell Rep. 2022 09 27; 40(13):111417.. View in PubMed
• Fasting renders immunotherapy effective against low-immunogenic breast cancer while reducing side effects. Cell Rep. 2022 08 23; 40(8):111256.. View in PubMed
• A Comparison of the Impact of Restrictive Diets on the Gastrointestinal Tract of Mice. Nutrients. 2022 Jul 29; 14(15).. View in PubMed
• Six-Month Periodic Fasting in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetic Nephropathy: A Proof-of-Concept Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022 07 14; 107(8):2167-2181.. View in PubMed
• Fasting and Fasting Mimicking Diets in Obesity and Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention and Treatment. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2022 08; 33(3):699-717.. View in PubMed
• Fasting and cancer: from yeast to mammals. Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2022; 373:81-106.. View in PubMed
• Yeast Chronological Lifespan: Longevity Regulatory Genes and Mechanisms. Cells. 2022 05 23; 11(10).. View in PubMed
• Nutrition, longevity and disease: From molecular mechanisms to interventions. Cell. 2022 04 28; 185(9):1455-1470.. View in PubMed
• The impact of a fasting mimicking diet on the metabolic health of a prospective cohort of patients with prostate cancer: a pilot implementation study. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2023 06; 26(2):317-322.. View in PubMed
• Association between IGF-1 levels ranges and all-cause mortality: A meta-analysis. Aging Cell. 2022 02; 21(2):e13540.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-Mimicking-Diet does not reduce skeletal muscle function in healthy young adults: a randomized control trial. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2022 Mar; 122(3):651-661.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Safe and Reshapes Metabolism and Antitumor Immunity in Patients with Cancer. Cancer Discov. 2022 01; 12(1):90-107.. View in PubMed
• Diet composition influences the metabolic benefits of short cycles of very low caloric intake. Nat Commun. 2021 11 09; 12(1):6463.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-mimicking diet blocks triple-negative breast cancer and cancer stem cell escape. Cell Metab. 2021 11 02; 33(11):2247-2259.e6.. View in PubMed
• Diet comparison suggests a lipid imbalance can slow tumour growth. Nature. 2021 11; 599(7884):206-207.. View in PubMed
• Daily caloric restriction limits tumor growth more effectively than caloric cycling regardless of dietary composition. Nat Commun. 2021 10 27; 12(1):6201.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-mimicking diet prevents high-fat diet effect on cardiometabolic risk and lifespan. Nat Metab. 2021 10; 3(10):1342-1356.. View in PubMed
• Intermittent and Periodic Fasting, Hormones, and Cancer Prevention. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Sep 13; 13(18).. View in PubMed
• Safety and Feasibility of Fasting-Mimicking Diet and Effects on Nutritional Status and Circulating Metabolic and Inflammatory Factors in Cancer Patients Undergoing Active Treatment. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Aug 09; 13(16).. View in PubMed
• Strategies to Prevent or Remediate Cancer and Treatment-Related Aging. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2021 02 01; 113(2):112-122.. View in PubMed
• Time-Restricted Eating, Intermittent Fasting, and Fasting-Mimicking Diets in Weight Loss. Curr Obes Rep. 2021 Jun; 10(2):70-80.. View in PubMed
• Intermittent and periodic fasting, longevity and disease. Nat Aging. 2021 01; 1(1):47-59.. View in PubMed
• Periodic and Intermittent Fasting in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Diab Rep. 2020 12 10; 20(12):83.. View in PubMed
• Author Correction: Fasting-mimicking diet and hormone therapy induce breast cancer regression. Nature. 2020 Dec; 588(7839):E33.. View in PubMed
• Quality of life and illness perceptions in patients with breast cancer using a fasting mimicking diet as an adjunct to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the phase 2 DIRECT (BOOG 2013-14) trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2021 Feb; 185(3):741-758.. View in PubMed
• Correction to: Fasting in diabetes treatment (FIT) trial: study protocol for a randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded intervention trial on the effects of intermittent use of a fasting-mimicking diet in patients with type 2 diabetes. BMC Endocr Disord. 2020 Nov 04; 20(1):164.. View in PubMed
• Fasting, dietary restriction, and immunosenescence. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020 11; 146(5):1002-1004.. View in PubMed
• A Distinct Brain-Gut-Microbiome Profile Exists for Females with Obesity and Food Addiction. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020 08; 28(8):1477-1486.. View in PubMed
• A fasting-mimicking diet and vitamin C: turning anti-aging strategies against cancer. Mol Cell Oncol. 2020; 7(5):1791671.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-mimicking diet and hormone therapy induce breast cancer regression. Nature. 2020 07; 583(7817):620-624.. View in PubMed
• Fasting in diabetes treatment (FIT) trial: study protocol for a randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded intervention trial on the effects of intermittent use of a fasting-mimicking diet in patients with type 2 diabetes. BMC Endocr Disord. 2020 Jun 24; 20(1):94.. View in PubMed
• The mitochondrial derived peptide humanin is a regulator of lifespan and healthspan. Aging (Albany NY). 2020 06 23; 12(12):11185-11199.. View in PubMed
• Fasting mimicking diet as an adjunct to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in the multicentre randomized phase 2 DIRECT trial. Nat Commun. 2020 06 23; 11(1):3083.. View in PubMed
• Efficacy of a fasting-mimicking diet in functional therapy for depression: A randomised controlled pilot trial. J Clin Psychol. 2020 10; 76(10):1807-1817.. View in PubMed
• Synergistic effect of fasting-mimicking diet and vitamin C against KRAS mutated cancers. Nat Commun. 2020 05 11; 11(1):2332.. View in PubMed
• Growth hormone receptor deficiency in humans associates to obesity, increased body fat percentage, a healthy brain and a coordinated insulin sensitivity. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2020 04; 51:58-64.. View in PubMed
• Protein Quantity and Source, Fasting-Mimicking Diets, and Longevity. Adv Nutr. 2019 11 01; 10(Suppl_4):S340-S350.. View in PubMed
• Changes in growth hormone secretion and leptin receptor mRNA expression under the influence of leptin and adrenocorticotropin in pituitary cells of early weaned ewe lambs. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2019 Aug; 70(4).. View in PubMed
• In vitro profiling of endothelial volatile organic compounds under resting and pro-inflammatory conditions. Metabolomics. 2019 10 03; 15(10):132.. View in PubMed
• When Fasting Gets Tough, the Tough Immune Cells Get Going-or Die. Cell. 2019 08 22; 178(5):1038-1040.. View in PubMed
• Dietary Restrictions and Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease. Circ Res. 2019 03 15; 124(6):952-965.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-Mimicking Diet Modulates Microbiota and Promotes Intestinal Regeneration to Reduce Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pathology. Cell Rep. 2019 03 05; 26(10):2704-2719.e6.. View in PubMed
• Reply to ‘Fasting in oncology: a word of caution’. Nat Rev Cancer. 2019 03; 19(3):178.. View in PubMed
• Fasting and cancer: molecular mechanisms and clinical application. Nat Rev Cancer. 2018 11; 18(11):707-719.. View in PubMed
• Programmed longevity, youthspan, and juventology. Aging Cell. 2019 02; 18(1):e12843.. View in PubMed
• Humanin Prevents Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Mice and is Associated with Improved Cognitive Age in Humans. Sci Rep. 2018 09 21; 8(1):14212.. View in PubMed
• Periodic fasting starves cisplatin-resistant cancers to death. EMBO J. 2018 07 13; 37(14).. View in PubMed
• Starvation, Stress Resistance, and Cancer. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2018 04; 29(4):271-280.. View in PubMed
• Interview with Professor Valter Longo. FEMS Yeast Res. 2017 Nov 23.. View in PubMed
• Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis Regulates Hydrogen Sulfide Production. Cell Metab. 2017 Jun 06; 25(6):1320-1333.e5.. View in PubMed
• Correction: Fasting regulates EGR1 and protects from glucose- and dexamethasone-dependent sensitization to chemotherapy. PLoS Biol. 2017 May; 15(5):e1002603.. View in PubMed
• Fasting regulates EGR1 and protects from glucose- and dexamethasone-dependent sensitization to chemotherapy. PLoS Biol. 2017 03; 15(3):e2001951.. View in PubMed
• Metabolic Alterations at the Crossroad of Aging and Oncogenesis. Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2017; 332:1-42.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-Mimicking Diet Promotes Ngn3-Driven β-Cell Regeneration to Reverse Diabetes. Cell. 2017 02 23; 168(5):775-788.e12.. View in PubMed
• Protective effects of short-term dietary restriction in surgical stress and chemotherapy. Ageing Res Rev. 2017 Oct; 39:68-77.. View in PubMed
• Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Sci Transl Med. 2017 02 15; 9(377).. View in PubMed
• Effects of Prolonged GRP78 Haploinsufficiency on Organ Homeostasis, Behavior, Cancer and Chemotoxic Resistance in Aged Mice. Sci Rep. 2017 02 01; 7:40919.. View in PubMed
• Nutrition and fasting mimicking diets in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases and immunosenescence. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2017 Nov 05; 455:4-12.. View in PubMed
• Brain Structure and Function Associated with Younger Adults in Growth Hormone Receptor-Deficient Humans. J Neurosci. 2017 02 15; 37(7):1696-1707.. View in PubMed
• Enhancing Stem Cell Transplantation with “Nutri-technology”. Cell Stem Cell. 2016 12 01; 19(6):681-682.. View in PubMed

• Brandhorst, Sebastian
• Cohen, Pinchas
• Goran, Michael
• Peters, Anne
• Crimmins, Eileen
• Finch, Caleb